1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains generally to the field of flame detection, more particularly to the field of flame detection by specifically enhanced optical means to provide for more rapid and accurate reporting of distant or remote fires. The use of RF transmitters is described also permitting a robust long range sensing system to be constructed economically.
2. Background of the Invention
Recent annual United States Federal expenditures for forest and other open area fire protection is about $4.7 billion dollars and about an equal amount is provided by state and county fire protection. An area of forestry burned equal to the size of Ohio or 133,000 square kilometers (approximately 48,000 square miles, 28.5 million acres) in five years from 1998 through 2002. Forest fire damage has increased by more than ten fold in the last fifteen years. The United States presently ranks seventh in total acreage lost but much worse in total value lost from open area fires. It is well known that open area fires destroy indeterminate wildlife, millions of acres of forest and forest products as well as creating about ⅓ of the pollution particulates and CO2 in the US alone. Worldwide wildfires are devastating the entire economy in many countries. Such is the case in Indonesia, North African countries and other countries without sufficient resources to extinguish large fires. Indonesia has lost as much as 50% of the useful forest products in many areas to fires in recent years. Flame and smoke detectors are marketed by as many as 60 companies in the US but have not found widespread use in the detection of forest and open area fires due to the limited range of detection and the lack of reporting systems. Therefore there is a need for flame detection and reporting systems which detect small remote fires and cover a wide area using economical sensors and technologies.